[10] In 1552, Archbishop John Hamilton gave the townspeople of St Andrews the right to play on the links.

This society would eventually become the precursor to The R&A which is the governing body for golf everywhere outside of the United States and Mexico.

Twenty years of legal battling between the golfers and rabbit farmers ended in 1821 when a local landowner and golfer named James Cheape of Strathtyrum bought the land and is credited with saving the links for golf.

Bobby Jones (who later founded Augusta National) first played St Andrews in the 1921 Open Championship.

After he took four swings at the ball and still could not get out, he lost his temper and continued the round, but did not turn in his score card, disqualifying himself.

He subsequently won the other three majors, making him the only man in the history of the sport to win the Grand Slam.

In 1958 the town of St Andrews gave Jones the key to the city; he was only the second American to receive the honour (after Benjamin Franklin in 1759).

"[15] ESPN has said of the course, "No other golf course has as many famous landmarks as St. Andrews, its 112 bunkers and endless hills and hollows have been cursed for centuries, and many have their own names and legends.

The following is a list of the champions: Winners of the Women's British Open at the Old Course at St Andrews: Winners of the Senior Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews: The following notable structures overlooking the Old Course in a clockwork direction from the north: